Mahan charges to Phoenix Open success

Hunter Mahan claimed only the second PGA Tour title of his career when he came from four strokes back to claim a victory in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It was just reward for Mahan after a string of consistent tournament appearances.

The former Oklahoma State golfer got the better of a tussle with fellow Oklahoma Statesman Rickie Fowler by one shot to collect the $1.08million first prize. Mahan carded an eagle and two birdies during a late charge in the final round to card a second consecutive bogey-free round of 65 and add to his only other PGA Tour win – the 2007 Travelers Championship.

Mahan birdied the sixth and ninth holes to reach the turn at 12-under par but was still some way off the lead as he began the homeward stretch. Mahan’s charge really began on the fifteenth where, just as YE Yang had found trouble on the 17th, Mahan’s putt from eight feet for an eagle fell into the hole to put him one behind the Korean. Another birdie on the 14th put Mahan into a share of the lead and then he took the lead outright with another on the 16th before pars on the final two holes.

From there it was a case of wait-and-see as Fowler was still out on the course and in a position to overhaul the 2008 Ryder Cup player. Tour rookie Fowler, who was seeking his first win couldn’t find the necessary birdies however, and carded a 68 to finish in his second runner up spot of his short pro career with US PGA champion YE Yang back in third. Fowler was bidding to become the youngest winner of a Tour event since Tiger Woods in 1996.

YE Yang had led the tournament after a blistering final round catapulted the Korean up the leaderboard; but his challenge came unstuck after an attempt to drive the green at the 17th hole was hooked into the greenside lake and Yang failed to get up-and-down for par. A par at the last gave the Korean a round of 65 and a 14-under total.

The putts wouldn’t drop for overnight leader Brandt Snedeker who fell away dramatically as he stumbled to a final round 78 as Charles Howell III, Mathew Goggin and Chris Couch all closed with three-under 68s to share fourth place at 13-under-par 271.

Camilo Villegas, who had equalled the course record on his opening round and tied the lead at half-way finished at eleven-under par with five other players following a closing 71 while our pick, JB Holmes, never threatened the top of the leaderboard and eventually finished seven-under par.

Snedeker takes Phoenix Open lead

Brandt Snedeker takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open after a third round 66.

On a day where the crowd numbers swelled to a raucous 121,000, Snedeker dropped one just one shot in his round which gave him a three-round total of 199 – 14 under par and a one shot advantage over Scott Piercy, who shot a 65.

A further shot behind are Rickie Fower, who shot 69 and Matt Every who went one better with a 68. Joint overnight leader Camilo Villegas is a further shot off the pace after an even par round of 71 left the Columbian 11-under par. However, Villegas required a pair of closing birdies to reach that mark after threatening to drop away.

A group of nine players, including veteran Mark Calcavecchia and Robert Allenby sit together at ten-under par. 43-year old Calcavecchia has won the Phoenix Open three times - in 1989, 1992 and 2001, with the last of his 13 PGA tour victories coming in 2007 in the PODS – now the Transitions Championship.

Snedeker, the 2007 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, will be hoping for a win to get his career back on track. The 29-year old American has a sole win to his name – the Wyndam Championship in his rookie year, and struggled with his form last year following a rib injury which kept him out for eight weeks. Snedeker’s poor form also saw him miss 12 cuts from the 26 tournaments he played.

Ian Poulter, bidding for back-to-back tournament wins following his WGC Accenture success carded a third round 70 to lie in a share for 23rd place at 8-under par while our pick for the tournament, JB Holmes, never got going in his third round and carded a level-par 71 to remain 5-under par. Sadly we won’t be collecting on him this week.

Holmes shares that mark with world number three Phil Mickelson, Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim and three others. Mickelson shot a one-over 72, while Kim – who was at the top end of the leaderboard stumbled to a 76.

Villegas maintains Phoenix Open lead

Camilo Villegas held onto his Phoenix Open lead but was tied at the top of the leaderboard by United States’ Mark Wilson. Villegas, who had started the day with a one-shot lead following a scorching first round 62 at TPC Scottsdale carded a second round 69 to share the half-way lead with Wilson, after the American shot 66.

Ryder Cup player Anthony Kim shares third place in an all-American trio alongside Ryan Moore and Rickie Fowler one shot behind; while a sextet of players are tied for sixth place a further stroke off the pace. Among the six are Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, United States’ Pat Perez and veteran Tom Lehman.

In a round suspended due to darkness, Ian Poulter shot a joint best-of-the-day 63 to move up the leaderboard and the Englishman lies tied for 16th place alongside countryman Justin Rose. A total of eight players make up the bracket which lies just four shots off the lead.

Phil Mickelson threatened the top of the leaderboard during his second round after carding four birdies on his front nine. A further birdie down the back was tempered by two bogeys and the world number three finished with a second successive 68 to lay 5 shots off the pace alongside 14 others, including Geoff Ogilvy, Mark Calcavecchia, Chad Campbell and US PGA champion YE Yang.

After recovering back to two-under par in his first round, our pick JB Holmes also made progress through the field with a 68 to add to his opening 69 for a five under total to sit six off the lead. United States’ Nick Watney was the other player to shoot 63 and equal Poulter’s round. The American was in danger of missing the cut after a first round of 74, but his equal best-of-the-day round sees him safely make the weekend’s play. The pair are among a group of 15 players on five-under par.

The delayed second rounds will be concluded early Saturday, with Matt Every among those who will need to complete their rounds.

Villegas to the fore in Phoenix Open

Columbian Camilo Villegas scorched TPC Scottsdale during the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Villegas, who finished third behind Ian Poulter in last week’s WGC Accenture World Match Play posted a tournament-equalling nine-under-par round of 62 to take a one shot lead into the second round.

It was the Columbian’s lowest ever round in a PGA event and included three birdies on the front nine, with a further six birdies on the back nine as he took full advantage of his early start and ideal conditions.

Villegas, who twice won on the PGA Tour in 2008, is seeking his first tournament win since winning the Tour Championship that year.

United States’ Matt Every carded a 63 to lie one shot behind Villegas, while Englishman Justin Rose formed part of a five-man group including Mark Wilson, Ryuji Imada, Rickie Fowler and Pat Perez a further shot behind in a tie for third place. The quintet sits three shots off the pace, with Rose seeking his first PGA Tour victory. Rose could have been even closer to the lead if he hadn’t dropped shots on both the first and last holes.

Every, who had started at the 10th enjoyed a run of six successive birdies – the longest streak of the PGA Tour this year – from the 17th, and the round went a long way to banishing the events of the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Cancun last week where he signed for an incorrect third-round score and was subsequently disqualified.

Last week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play champion Ian Poulter endured a difficult day as he finished with a one-over-par 72. With afternoon conditions proving tricky for many players, Poulter found himself three-over at one point before clawing back to his one-over first round score which gives him a fighting chance of making the half-way cut.

Similarly, JB Holmes had also dropped to two-over par around the turn but fought back to two-under par and keep the tip alive.

Kenny Perry, the reigning champion, carded a three-under-par 68 while Phil Mickelson, making his return after skipping the WGC-Accenture Match Play to be with his family shot a similar score. Mickelson carded six birdies but tempered those with three bogeys as he continued to struggle with his putter.